About ByOwner.com

What is the ByOwner.com difference? Simply put: maximum exposure at a minimum investment. We take 6% commissions out of homes for sale by owner and put that money back in your pocket! We harness technology to find Buyers and save Sellers thousands of dollars while still enjoying full listing coverage.

ByOwner includes your for sale by owner property on top nationwide real estate websites and your local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for an average of 70% LESS than typical listing fees. You’ll get lots of extras, too, like help in setting up your ad, a yard sign, direct contact with Buyers, contracts and tools to get sold. See our free e-book for practical, step-by-step information for sellers.

An Established, Trusted FSBO Website

Buying? Selling? Renting residential or vacation homes? Choose the forsalebyowner service with over 20 years in the business, and an eye toward the future. We got in on the ground floor online in 1996. Since then, we've made it our mission to open new doors for home buyers and sellers.

ByOwner is among the oldest classified posting websites, and we focus our expertise on making home sales and rentals easy, quick, and more profitable than ever. In addition, we act as an advocate for our customers. Here’s what Thomas R. had to say about our level of service:"The experience could not have been better from beginning to end. As a first time seller I was guided and pampered through the whole process by an excellent agent who made the process very smooth."

Say Good-bye to 6% Commissions and Save Thousands

The single highest cost associated with a real estate transaction is the agent commission. Homes sold at appraisal prices of $250,000 and up often pay $15,000 to real estate agents during the sales process. Our flat-fee MLS listing service will get your home place in most at major online real estate sites, giving you exposure to millions of monthly viewers.

Our ByOwner professionals give you the same comprehensive exposure you’d get with traditional agents and more at a fraction of the cost! We make it simple for owners to list homes and close deals. We’ll help you learn to:

Price your property right for quick sale

Photograph and market your home

Show your property to its advantage

Market Your Home For Sale By Owner Just Like the Real Estate Agents Do!

ByOwner takes you through the same steps real estate brokers use to list, market, show, and sell your home, fast—without the high-priced commissions. Save an average of $15,000 in agent fees while still accessing the widest pool of interested buyers. Services we provide:

Avoiding traditional agents by connecting with owners can save you money, too. Less money in commissions can mean more reasonable pricing, one less person between you and your new home, and less hassle all around.

Flat-Fee MLS and Major Website Listing Services

Selling a home? You need all the power you can get from MLS listing, the regional clearinghouse for every available property on the market. If you use a traditional real estate agent, local MLS listing for your home can cost you thousands of dollars. Not so long ago, private sellers could not gain access to this priceless service without paying brokers their 6% commission.

ByOwner offers that powerful tool to you for a nominal flat rate—PLUS adding your home to the sales pages of Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, Redfin, Bing, Yahoo, MSN, and many other popular websites. With our premium service, a one-time, low flat fee gets your home on the MLS and top Internet listing sites, without ever paying a traditional commission. Click to learn more about the benefits of our flat-fee MLS package.

*Offering a cooperating fee of 1-3% to a selling broker encourages other agents to feature your home to buyers. We recommend but don’t require this practice. If you choose not to involve a broker, you pay NO additional fee.

How to Sell Your Home For More

Many buyers look to boost the price they can ask for their homes by making improvements before staging time. General repairs to worn, weathered, or broken features are a must, so take inventory of your property to determine your fix-it priorities. If your architecture or interior design is dated or just plain ordinary, however, you might want to upgrade. Remember that today’s buyers will compare your home’s entryway, kitchen, and energy efficiency with other properties on the market. If yours doesn’t stand out, invest where your money will make the biggest splash.

While home remodeling preferences come and go, some long-term trends have remained strong and should continue to do so into the future. Remodeling magazine keeps track of popular trends across the country. Each year, they publish a list that has the greatest effect on the price of homes for sale. Although inflation will determine the actual dollar amounts involved in the years to come, those that recover the most from their investments now will probably do so until the whims of buyers change for good.

What are buyers looking for now? Anything that increases energy conservation, curb appeal (or how your home looks to viewers from the street), and comfortable living spaces indoors and outdoors gets a second look from buyers. Choosing remodeling projects based on these criteria will serve sellers well for a long time.

Consider this: energy costs will only continue to climb. An eye-catching front entrance and landscaping will always make a terrific first impression. And unique features and creature comforts are something that will always set one home apart from the crowd.

Ways to Boost Home Value When You Sell

Remodeling magazine's Cost vs. Value Report offers a wealth of remodeling upgrades known to consistently pay off when homes are sold. The top eight projects from the list recovered between 70% and 108% of the money invested, in 2017 dollar value. Take a look at these eight remodels that offer huge returns on their investments at the time of home sale:

Insulate attics with fiberglass. Houses constructed prior to the explosion in energy costs may not be adequately sealed or have enough insulation to keep heat in and cold out, or vice versa. Get a professional to evaluate and insulate your old attic using the current R-30 gold standard. Remodel cost: $1,343. Average return: 108%.

Replace your front entrance with a new steel door. Save on energy, increase home and personal security, and improve the view of your house from the street by simply replacing your front door with a steel model. Remodel cost: $1,413. Average return: 91%.

Add stone veneer to existing home siding. Lend a dramatic presence to a portion of your house. Adding manufactured stone veneer panels or trim will enhance your current vinyl siding. All it takes is a small upgrade to give your facade the decorative look crafted by European stone masons, for a slice of the price. Remodel cost: $7,851. Average return: 89%.

Refurbish key parts of your kitchen. It's hard to disguise the heavy use and abuse that most kitchens take over the years. Installing new cabinets, countertops, drawer faces, fridge, and stove with sleek new designs will work wonders to refresh your kitchen and casual dining area. Remodel cost: $20,830. Average return: 80%.

Install a new garage door and tracks. A weathered, dated garage door decreases your home’s curb appeal. If your electric garage door opener still works well, you can replace just the door and steel rails for a new look and quieter operation. Remodel cost: $1,749. Average return: 77%.

Replace old windows with energy-efficient models. Older thermopane windows may degrade visually or functionally from nicks, scratches, and condensation. Replace them with 10 new insulated windows for an instant makeover. Remodel cost: $15,282. Average return: 74%.

Install an outdoor deck. Your existing back porch and staircase can give way to a brand-new wooden deck that buyers will fight over. Contractors offer basic square decks with optional bench and planter extensions for an overall wow factor. Remodel cost: $10,707. Average return: 72%.

Transform the front entrance. Enlarging your front door area lets you add windows to the sides and top of the door, which you can show off with dramatic lighting. This first-look project gives buyers a first impression that is truly impressive! Remodel cost: $8,358. Average return: 70%.

How to Keep More of What Your Home Sells For

What could you do with an extra $15,000? 20,000? 40,000? If yours is a modest house, you’ll want every penny coming to you from a sale. If your property is in a higher appraisal bracket, the money you give up in agent commissions could be significant enough to pay off credit card debts, fund higher education, or repay a large chunk of your new mortgage.

If you used a traditional real estate agent, however, that fee would be based on your property’s final sale price. But would that price be set to attract the ideal buyer ... or to create the highest commission for the broker? That last scenario can happen when homeowners choose agents who inflate the value of a home, thinking that it automatically means more money for them.

The reality is that setting a sales price too high does not attract only people looking for high-end homes, but drives all sorts of buyers away. A reasonable—or lower—price does not mean you won’t get the best return on your home investment. In fact, it can create a bigger pool of interested buyers who will then compete to purchase your home.

Multiple offers mean you get to choose. All things being equal, you might select the party who seems to be the best fit for the neighborhood or who will take the best care of the property you have worked so hard to maintain. You might be able to negotiate the best transition time for you and avoid having to store items or rent an interim place to live.

ByOwner's in-depth guide to selling your home will help you decide on the right amount to reflect your home’s value and to attract the most desirable buyers. Striking the balance between too high and too low is a critical part of pricing your home. And that’s the first step to keeping more money in your pocket after your home transaction is all over.

A Large Database of Residential and Vacation Rentals

It seems as though the more ways there are to advertise, the harder it gets to find home rentals. You'll appreciate the ability to search a national pool of apartments and houses for rent via ByOwner, particularly if you are relocating.

If you're searching for the ideal vacation lodging, skip the hotels and the same, old properties on the short-term rental websites. Renting a private home typically gets you more amenities for less money. ByOwner can help you find the vacation rental home of your dreams.

Testimonial

"The experience could not have been better from beginning to end. As a first time seller I was guided and pampered through the whole process by an excellent agent who made the process very smooth."

-Thomas R.

Testimonial

"There's no need to pay full commission ever again! We listed our home with "ByOwner.com" and saved nearly $5000! Our home went under contract in less than 30 days!"

-Robert V

Testimonial

"I listed my home with ByOwner and sold it in 52 days, we saved 3% of the selling price, which was $23,325!"

-Rose T

Testimonial

"My home was in MLS the same day I listed it and sold in 11 days. We saved over $10,440 in commission. It doesn't cost you 6% sell your home anymore."

-Judy G

Testimonial

"I was extremely happy with ByOwner.com. After just 1 day of my home being listed, I was already receiving several emails and phone calls from Realtors and potential buyers. On the 4th day of being listed, I had already signed into a contract. I was also very pleased that I was able to save $ 5,600 in commission. My family and friends were very impressed with your services and we plan to use your website again in the future. Thank you all so much.."

-Cory F

Testimonial

"ByOwner is a fast and easy way to sell your home. Our home sold in under 2 weeks while saving over 40k in real estate commissions..WOW."

-Roger R

Testimonial

"I had my home under contract in less than a week and saved over $17,000 in commission."

-Andrew R

Testimonial

"The process was really smooth and i will highly recommend your services, i also need them for the near future since i am buying a house."

-Elizabeth V

"On selling your house we dealt with one of the best brokers I’ve have ever met..... Try ByOwner the broker, will provide you with full services from a real estate company for 1% commission for listing, then you decide what percentage you want to pay if you have a cooperating broker. He sold our house within a few days for more than we were asking. He stayed on top of all the activity with the participating broker which we paid 2% so we were out of pocket only 3% for commissions instead of 6%+."

-Judy T

Testimonial

"Thank you for your excellent customer service! I am very impressed and will recommend your company to everyone."

-Mercedes B

Testimonial

"My home was under contract by the 5th week and we saved over $15,000 in commission."

-Stanley R

Testimonial

"We sold our home in just 1 week through ByOwner. Easy, professional, gave us great exposure and saved us $23,000! I would use them again without hesitation. Thanks ByOwner!"